Ashes of Ashes
by Isviel
Summary: Rhode strangely falls ill, and does weird things while Tyki's on the watch. RhodexTyki, slightly AU.


Rhode was sick.

No one in Mitsuboshi, not even the Earl, could explain why she was struck with fever on one winter night, and was now unable to even sit up properly. Worried, the Noahs and the Earl took turns in watching over her, assuming that she might have contacted some epidemic while venturing the outside world, but confused as well. Noahs healed rather quickly; did it not affect sicknesses?

But the young Noah hardly knew any of these assumptions. She had not felt this weak for a long time… her senses were so blurred and disoriented that she could hardly make out the shapes and the faces or hear the sounds and voices of those who watched over her, fed her, took care of her while she rested. It was either that or nothing at all. And because of this she felt constantly annoyed; what was happening in the world? Was Allen dead already? Were they carrying out their plans without her?

The days passed and her condition worsened, leading to the extermination of the Akuma maids who watched over her as the Noahs were fighting more battles with the exorcists. No magic or medicine would take effect on her, and soon alarm and panic rose among the Noah. What if Rhode died? What if she stayed alive yet confined to her bed for the remainder of her days?

Thus, one Noah volunteered to fall back from the battlefield to take care of Rhode – she was too much of a casualty if she died. Everyone knew that the girl had an attachment to this particular Noah; she looked up to him as an older brother that she could pester to do her homework and to play with her. Even the Earl resigned this position to this Noah, knowing that she would feel more at ease if she woke up with this person by her side.

He accepted his decision with mixed emotions – his abilities were very useful in the battlefield, and all Noah loved to see how exorcist blood would spill, but Rhode's needs and welfare took on a higher priority than wiping out the Black Order. What was family for? So he lowered his hands that bore the Tease and retreated to Mitsuboshi.

This Noah was Tyki Mikk.

He sat down on his favorite chair – he had it transferred from the drawing room to Rhode's room, as he would now spend a very large part of his time there. Book held in hand, he flipped the page once more, looking at Rhode's still form on the bed and washing the cold, damp cloth placed on her forehead from time to time.

'Who would be so evil when awake, but so angelic when asleep?' he thought to himself, smiling sadly as he closed his book for the meantime and sat down on Rhode's bedside to feel her forehead and neck.

Her face was creased with a slight frown, her skin paler than usual; her cheekbones had begun looking more emphasized as her cheeks became hollower. He removed the towel on her head, revealing strands of black hair that clung to her face. With a few gentle strokes he removed them slowly from her face and eyes, caressing her still soft skin lightly with his fingertips. That same hand felt the side of her neck to check her temperature, and the other felt for his – placed on his neck as well.

'Slightly lower today…'

Sighing in relief, he took the damp cloth and had stood up to wash it in a nearby basin when he felt a weak tug. Blinking, he turned.

Rhode was awake.

"Rhode!" He dropped the towel as his hands went for hers, kneeling by her bedside. Her fingers looked less like fingers and more like spider legs – thin and frail. What puzzled him was the blank expression she wore; the way her eyes looked at his was eerie. His relief was replaced with more worry. "Rhode? Do you hear me?"

She tilted her head to the side, her eyes continuing to stare at him in that same eerie way. With her free arm she propped herself up, her eyes now level with his. Both of them were silent, only staring at each other's eyes for several moments. It took time before he saw recognition in Rhode's eyes.

But what startled him was the moment she began to shed tears.

"Rhode?" he said, softer and gentler this time, holding her hand tighter. While her eyes shed tears, the rest of her face didn't even twitch in the slightest; it was like watching a crying doll – emotionless and surreal. One hand broke free of his grasp on hers, and caressed her cheek. In stark contrast to her temperature just moments before, her skin was now ghastly cold…

"Pleasure…" she said brokenly, her voice hoarse; she had not spoken in weeks. "I…"

She hugged him suddenly, tightly, as though he was someone who had gone and had returned after several lifetimes had passed. These sudden gestures from Rhode were strange, very strange indeed…

'Why did she call me Pleasure…?'

But what surprised him more was the tears from his own eyes, and he begun to be filled with despair that he knew was bottled up inside him for a long time….

'But how…?'

He could not trace where all this sorrow sprung from, but he felt that all that mattered now was Rhode. He hugged her back tightly…

It felt painful to hug her. He did not know why, but his heart ached more and more as the seconds flitted past them.

"I've… never told you… have I?" she whispered into his ear. Instinct told him to shake his head lightly, and he heard her chuckle. "I… love you. I always will. Forget me not…"

She released him, and he looked at her eyes again. It was not Rhode whom he was conversing with, but someone else – those lavender eyes spoke too much of pain and despair, so uncharacteristic of the sadist Noah he knew.

"Do you… love me back…?"

With her lips she kissed his tears away, mumbling something as she placed her lips over his for a kiss.

Tyki was more than taken aback by her and his actions. He expected himself to pull away, but what his arms did was pull her closer to him. Instead of turning away, he even kissed her fervently back.

At that, Rhode became limp and still.

'What was that…?'

He pulled away, Rhode now in his arms, unconscious once more. Her temperature had stabilized, by the look of it – she was warmer than him now. Placing her gently on the bed and tucking her in once more, he rethought about what he had just heard…

The next few days saw Rhode almost back to normal – except that she was insisted to remain in bed until she regained the weight she lost. She did not refuse at all; in fact, she found it fun since she had more freedom, as the pampered princess that she was. The Earl and the other Noahs were relieved, though still confused as to what had caused and cured her illness. Tyki was asked, of course, if he did anything special, to which he said "No."

He did not mention that little trance Rhode had gone into on that day.

"Tyki, play with me!" She pestered him for the hundredth time, chin cupping her cheeks as she sat up on her bed, the sheets on her lap, while he was sitting down on his favorite armchair. 

"You need to sleep, Rhode." He replied resolutely, not looking up from the book in his hands. Only now did he find the motivation to continue reading…

"Ehhhh"

There was no mention of what had transpired the day before she became better between them, as though it did not happen at all. He did not make effort to ask her either, but she seemed oblivious to what she had done. It was all too strange – he felt as though there were someone over his shoulder, looking at him as he went on his day…

And somehow, the portrait that hung in his room seemed more lifelike than ever before.


End file.
